Chapter 187

Sunday asked the question he had wanted to know.

【Heh.】

【You suspect he would hand someone else's cornerstone over to you?】

【You're thinking of the Stonehearts as far too united—that thing is worth far more than their lives.】

At Sunday's question, Dr. Ratio let out a snort of derision.

【But you also know he's a reckless gambler.】

【The greater the show he puts on, the more carefully you must guard against him.】

Sunday did not agree with Dr. Ratio's account.

【I never imagined anyone would share his line of thinking.】

【Honestly, you ought to go see a therapist.】

Dr. Ratio shook his head after a moment of astonishment,

then, in a remarkably sincere tone, offered Sunday a reminder.

【Hand it over.】

【The casket holding the cornerstone is specially made; aside from the company's senior management and related personnel, no one can open it—but I happen to be among them.】

Dr. Ratio agreed to help Sunday open the casket.

【If you please.】

Sunday stepped before the casket and gave Dr. Ratio a nod.

Dr. Ratio began walking to the table,

and, in front of Sunday, opened the casket.

【...】

【Unfortunately, you guessed right.】

Looking at the cornerstone inside the casket, Dr. Ratio spoke in a helpless tone.

【Heh.】

【A golden-yellow stone.】

【Its hue is identical to the radiance of Topaz's holy body.】

Sunday gazed at this cornerstone, his expression one of amused interest.

【This is precisely the story he prepared to deceive you with.】

【He won't tell you: the ten Stonehearts must carve the cornerstone with their own will, causing it to shine with a unique brilliance.】

【And this golden-yellow stone belongs to Topaz; its other name is Yellow Jade—not Topaz.】

【Well? Going to confront him?】

With one round of introductions, Dr. Ratio laid bare every last secret of Topaz.

【No need, for now.】

【What I want to know more right now is, where is the cornerstone that belongs to him?】

Sunday shook his head and asked.

【The safest place—the one place you'd never think of.】

【Because he never intended to hide it at all—from the very beginning, that cornerstone has already been in your hands.】

Dr. Ratio pointed at an unremarkable bag on the floor,

then crouched down and rummaged through it,

found another cornerstone,

and set it on the table.

【So that's how it is, this luggage bag...】

【Mixing a cornerstone more precious than life into a pile of cheap jewelry, disguising it as a gift waiting to be seized—now that does fit that Mr. Topaz's style.】

Looking at the two cornerstones,

Sunday seemed to grasp Topaz's true intention.

【Then he'd just make up some excuse, dodge the important points, and ask you to return the gift money.】

【This is a gamble, and he's all too familiar with them—he's betting that one careless move on your part will lose you the whole game.】

Dr. Ratio picked up where Sunday left off and added.

【Boxuede Sect, thank you for your help.】

【The family will surely reward the righteous.】

【As for the villain... may he retreat in disgrace.】

Stelle: "Holy shit!!!"

Stelle: "Dr. Ratio, you look so earnest and proper, and you're actually a traitor!!"

March 7th: "Just to get the knowledge of a Stellaron, you sold out Topaz without a second thought?"

March 7th: "That's just too shameless, isn't it?"

Xiangling: "Topaz's behavior may seem annoying, but Dr. Ratio's approach is even more despicable..."

Furina: "He flipped sides just like that??"

Furina: "Isn't that too sudden?"

Furina: "Feels like there's no buildup at all?"

Paimon: "Uh, Dr. Ratio's image in my heart was still really impressive before."

Paimon: "But now that image has crumbled..."

Stelle: "It just feels a bit sudden... Dr. Ratio shouldn't be this kind of person, right?"

Sparkle: "Hahahaha, what a plot!"

Sparkle: "Good stuff, love watching it, little Kong Que got stabbed right in the back by her own people!"

Sparkle: "Plots like this are the interesting ones, can we have some more~"

Boothill: "What the f***ing h*ck is a Wubbaboo!"

Boothill: "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"

Boothill: "Your company keeps getting better and better at pulling these stunts!"

Boothill: "What? Is the company planning to switch careers and join the circus industry?"

Boothill: "Otherwise why are all the employees you hire a bunch of clowns?"

Boothill: "If you were trying to make me laugh, then I have to admit, you f***ing did it!"

Boothill: "Because I'm really about to laugh myself into a hernia!"

Topaz: "Professor, seeing you do this, I'm quite disappointed."

Dr. Ratio: "What's there to be disappointed about?"

Dr. Ratio: "Didn't I warn you beforehand?"

Dr. Ratio: "You should have been mentally prepared."

Topaz: "Fair enough, I didn't take it seriously, so now I've lost everything, even my underwear is on the line, Miao."

Hu Tao: "Huh?"

Hu Tao: "Shouldn't you two be blaming each other and then cursing each other out?"

Hu Tao: "Why are you still so calm?"

Zhong Li: "Perhaps it's because of... some kind of silent understanding."

Venti: "Ehe, as expected of Consultant Zhong Li, you actually saw something?"

Nahida: "People's hearts really are complicated, it seems I still need to understand and experience much more."。